Why is this floor so rough?
I asked myself as I swept the concrete in one of the sheds of vintage furniture
where I worked. The surface looked like Havarti cheese!
The ones who poured
the concrete were not professionals by any stretch of the imagination, but
surely, they could have smoothed out the bumps and crevices a little better,
I fumed inwardly! Dirt and dust had settled into all the shallow little holes,
making it impossible to sweep clean!
And then it dawned on me why the floor was left so course.
The irregular surface never got slippery! People could walk through that shed
with wet feet and not be worried about slipping or falling. A perfectly
smoothed and even floor would leave nothing for their shoes to grip!
That rough concrete floor taught me a lesson about
effectiveness as a Christian. As followers of Jesus, we may feel we must
present a serene, unruffled façade to the world, no matter what we are going
through. But who could identify with that? No one!
We may think if others know that we struggle, we will be
less successful witnesses. I beg to differ. When strong Christians own up to faults
and shortcomings or admit that they are going through a rough time, I can
relate. When they allow me to see that they are real, down-to-earth beings facing
the same problems and challenges I face, I am attracted to them—like the
traction rough concrete affords. I learn from how they handle what life throws at them.
God calls us, not to present a slick persona to the world,
but to show the world what it looks like to face those same difficulties and trials
with Jesus at our side. No, as Christians, we aren’t exempt from problems and
challenges—our lives are just as bumpy and uneven as the next person’s. We just
don’t tackle them alone. Our most effective witness comes when we are honest
and say, with Jesus,
“.
. . In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! . . .”
John 16:33
Be encouraged,
Pam©2017 Pamela D. Williams
